The present application is based on and claims priority from Japanese Patent Application Hei 11-352001 filed Dec. 10, 1999, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wiring system disposed in a vehicle indication instrument and, particularly, a vehicle cockpit module in which a device such as parts of an air conditioner is integrated into the module, which is mounted in the indication instrument.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a vehicle, such as a passenger car, an electric wiring system, which is disposed in an indication instrument, is mainly comprised of a cowl wiring section held at the cowling portion of a vehicle body and an instrument wiring section held at the indication instrument. Generally, the cowling portion is disposed at an upper portion of a partition (or firewall) between an engine compartment and a passenger compartment to accommodate a wiper motor or others.
The cowl wiring section is provided for electrical connection of body-side devices, such as an air conditioner and the like, that are fixed to the side of the partition facing the passenger compartment. On the other hand, the instrument wiring section is provided for instrument-side devices, such as various meters, a radio set, or an audio set.
An electric wiring system disposed in a conventional indication instrument necessitates connection works for the cowl wiring and the instrument wiring separately. In addition, the cowl wiring and the instrument wiring have to be carried out inside the indication instrument that has complicated wiring patterns.
Accordingly, the connection work inside the indication instrument is very difficult and needs much time. In addition, the connection work needs many wiring protectors and wiring clamps, resulting in a heavy and expensive wiring system.
In view of the above circumstances, a main object of the present invention is to provide a simple electric wiring system inside the vehicle indication instrument.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a wiring system that is suitable to a vehicle cockpit module, which integrates various devices therein and is disposed inside the indication instrument.
In order to fulfill the above objects, a main feature of the invention is the following wiring system of indication instrument for a vehicle that includes a transverse member extending in the right to left direction of a vehicle inside the indicating instrument, a wire-integrated cluster formed of a bundle of main lead wires disposed inside the indication instrument, and a pair of electric distributor boxes disposed at opposite ends of the transverse member.
The wire-integrated cluster extends generally straight along the transverse member. The main lead wires jointly transmit electric signals or supply electric power among a plurality of devices inside and outside the indication instrument. The pair of electric distributor boxes connects electric circuits on the engine compartment side and electric circuits on the passenger compartment side.
The transverse member, the wire-integrated cluster and the pair of electric distributor boxes are integrated or assembled into the cockpit module that is disposed inside the indication instrument, and all the connection works around the indication instrument can be completed.
As a result, the connection works around the indication instrument can be carried out very easily after the cockpit module is mounted in the vehicle.
According to another feature of the invention, a reinforcement member is disposed inside the indication instrument to extend right to left along the transverse member, and the transverse member is provided with portions to be fixed to the reinforcement member.
Therefore, the transverse member and the wire-integrated cluster can be assembled into the cockpit module after the transverse member is supported by the reinforcement member.
According to another feature of the invention, the pair of electric distribution boxes is fixed to the transverse member.
Therefore, the pair of electric distributor boxes can be assembled into the cockpit module after it is fixed to the transverse member.
According to another feature of the invention, each of the pair of electric distribution boxes has a side bracket for fixing one end of the reinforcement member to a side portion of the vehicle and is fixed to each of the left and right ends of the reinforcement member.
This reduces the number of parts and the cost.
According to another feature of the invention, the indication instrument is disposed adjacent a partition for separating an engine compartment from a passenger compartment, and the pair of electric distribution boxes is provided with penetrating connectors penetrating the partition.
Therefore, the penetrating connectors make the connection works of the pair of electric distributor boxes and the electric circuits on the engine compartment side of the partition easy.
According to another feature of the invention, receptacle connectors branch from the wire-integrated cluster and fixed to the transverse member, and connectors of various devices disposed in the indication instrument are fitted to the receptacle connectors.
According to another feature of the invention, a plurality of the receptacle connectors is fixed to the transverse member, and at least one of the receptacles has an aligning structure for adjusting the position for receiving the connector.
Therefore, even if there is a slight distance between the receptacle connectors and the connectors to be coupled of the devices on the side of the indication instrument, the aligning structure can absorb the distance to complete the connection.
According to a further another feature of the invention, the transverse member comprises a duct of an air conditioner for conducting air. Therefore, the duct is effectively used to assemble the wire-integrated cluster into the indication instrument.
According to another feature of the invention, the air conditioner has a pair of side-surface air-outlets, disposed opposite ends of the indication instrument, for blowing air toward the upper half body of a passenger, and the duct conducts air to the side-surface air-outlets.
Therefore, the side-surface air-outlets can be utilized to assemble the wire-integrated cluster into the indication instrument.
According to another feature of the invention, the duct is provided with a straight gutter-shaped wire-holder. Therefore, the wire-integrated cluster is disposed on the gutter-shaped wire-holder.
According to a further feature of the invention, an air-blow unit is integrated into an air conditioner unit. The air conditioner unit has a heat exchanger for the air supplied from the air-blow unit.
Therefore, the air-blow unit, air conditioner and the wiring system inside the indication instrument can be integrated into the cockpit module via the duct.